John Skene, 15th Laird of Hallyard

Scotlands People:Baptism Record:

SKEYNE JOHNE ALEXR. SKEYNE/ M 14/09/1648 192/ 10 76 Ellon

Ellon is situated approx. 5-6 miles to the N of Aberdeen

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John Skene was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was persecuted for being a Quaker, and he moved to New Jersey around 1680 near Burlington, where he served as Deputy Governor of West Jersey. He is well documented as the first Freemason to come to America. He lived on a large Plantation in present-day Westampton, and died in 1690.

From "Freemasons: a history and exploration of the world's oldest secret society": "The first known Freemason to settle in America was John Skene. The son of Alexander Skene and Lilias Gillespie of Newtyle, England, he was born around 1649. He arrived in the New World via the Delaware River with his family aboard the Golden Lion in 1682 and settled at Mount Holly, New Jersey on a plantation that he named Peachland. He went on to be deputy colonial governor of West Jersey. He died in 1690."

Here is a source linking Christian, wife of Archibald Silver, to John Skene and Helen Fullerton from Aberdeen Scotland.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ANGUS/2004-02/1076619415

This link has lots on the Skene family, including Christian b. 3 May 1675 to John Skene and Helen Fullerton. John moved to Burlington, was Deputy Governor of West Jersey, was the first Mason in America, was a Quaker.

http://www.clanskene.org/body_johnskene.htm

John's widow, Helena, sold his plantation (Peachfield) in 1695 (or 1699). John had purchased the 500 (or 300) acres of property in 1674. John Skene, a Scottish Quaker, was the first free Mason in the colonies. The current address of Peachfield is 180 Burrs Road, Westampton, NJ.

http://www.colonialdamesnj.org/peachfield.html

http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/tourism/history/attractions/peachfie...

http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/info/history/township/westamptontown...

"Like his father, John (Skene) became a Quaker. He married Helena FULLERTON, the sister of Robert and Thomas FULLERTON who were among the first quakers to migrate to New Jersey. The fact that he was a Burgess of the city made no difference in 1676 John along with George KEITH (later Surveyor Gen'l for East Jersey) with others was arrested for "speaking and praying after the manner of Quakers". "

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gillenofde/refere...

Mention of John Skene and George Keith:

The great difficulty was, to establish the north station point on the Delaware river, and the first effort to a solution of this dispute was in 1686. The Province of New York was also interested in this, and Gawen Laurie, Deputy Governor of New East Jersey; Thomas Dongan, Governor of New York, and John Skene, Deputy Governor of New West Jersey, had a conference at Fort James (New York), and agreed that George Keith, Surveyor General of West Jersey, Andrew Robeson, Surveyor General of West Jersey, and Philip Wells, Surveyor General of New York, should meet at the falls (Trenton) September 1st, 1686, and settle that question.

http://www.archive.org/stream/third1t3proceedings01newjuoft/third1t...

"John Skene married Helena Foulartoune/Fullerton, daughter of John Fullerton, in Aberdeen in 1769. They had six children, of whom only four can be confidently identified: Alexander b.1670, Katherin b.1671, Lilias b.1673, Christian b.1675; perhaps also Matthew b.1677 (though Matthew Skene may have had nothing to do with John Skene, and may not even have been born till 1701)"

http://genforum.genealogy.com/skene/messages/27.html

familysearch.org has the Skene line back to the 1200s.

This source (Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene) has a John Skene b 1659 and Helen Fullerton from Aberdeen. John Skene was governor of New Jersey prior to his death in 1687. He has an aunt (uncle?) named Christian. Goes back to the 1200s.

http://books.google.com/books?id=XbUEAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA78&lpg=PA78&dq=%...

Per this source, there were Skenes in Philadelphia in the 1730s.

http://genforum.genealogy.com/skene/messages/30.html

"Calendar of Records in the Office of the Secretary of State 1614-1703"

Records of land transactions from 14 Jun 1682 - 8 May 1689.

Record of land transaction of Helen Skene, widow of John Skene, on 4 Aug 1691 - 20 Apr 1696

Mention of John Skene's will of 19 Aug 1690.

Mention of Christian Cheene, alias Silver, in one land transaction on 1 May 1695.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pk0OAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA424&lpg=PA424&dq....

Per The Burlington Court Book at ancestry.com:

"In 1685 Byllynge appointed a new deputy governor in the person of John Skene, a resident of some prominence in the colony, having been elected to the Council in 1683. His new dignity weighing heavily upon him, Skene made a dramatic entrance into the Burlington Court, 1685, read his commission, shooed Governor Ollive and the magistrates off the bench, and adjourned the court till next morning. He may have intended to appoint new justices, but if so he was disappointed. ... Skene continued as governor, the court minutes show, until August 1688 - in November he is merely a justice."

The link from Christian to John and Helena is not absolute, but I think there is a preponderance of evidence.

Here are well-documented facts:

John Skene had a daughter named Christian born 1675.

Christian (wife of Archibald Silver) is listed in different sources with an extensive assortment of maiden names, including: Cheene, Skeene, Ghaine, Skeyne, Skene.

Christian (wife of Archibald Silver) lived in the house of George Keith.

George Keith and John Skene were arrested together back in Scotland for their Quaker practices.

George Keith and John Skene were mentioned together regarding establishment of the boundary between West Jersey and East Jersey.

John Skene and Archibald Silver both lived near Burlington.